Aukštaitija

Welcome to Aukštaitija

See, feel, and taste everything!

We pick up our rental car and head towards Aukštaitija, known as Lithuania’s “land of lakes”. The well-maintained roads are a pleasure to drive and we are there in less than two hours. Seems you cannot walk five steps here without hitting a body of water.

And the forests are dense and lush. My sister and I sign up for a trip by kayak through the maze of rivers and lakes. Our parents decide, instead, to hike the winding paths of Labanoras Regional Park.

At Ignalina district, we get a hands-on experience of baking a traditional Lithuanian “tree cake”. A short drive towards Anykščiai town brings us to a horse museum and a summer toboggan run on Kalita Hill.

The hospitable Highlanders always take good care of their guests, they'll cook pancakes, homemade bread, and Lithuania’s famous farmers cheese with cranberry jam. After washing it down with some mead, we retire to our secluded holiday cottage in the woods.

The next day, after a good night's in the rural tourism farmstead, we headed towards North Lithuania to Biržai Lithuania's " land of beer".

Biržai has long been famous for its breweries and the delicious beer. At Biržai castle vaults, we sample beer and then dance a Lithuanian squaredance with a folk ensemble. The locals teach us some drinking songs: “I was drinking beer and singing nicely; why are my cheeks so red?” The Highlanders are known for their songs and merriment, no doubt inspired by the beer, at least in part!

Utena is the "capital of Alukštaitija" and the centre of Utena County.Visit us in summer time – enjoy the untouched beauty of nature – not yet discovered by tourists. Escape from the noise and pollution of metropolis to peacefull idylic countryside – wake up to the sound of cows or chicken… Start your day by a delightful swim in a lake – stay in a secluded cottage by a forest and a lake.

Lithuanians have always liked to eat good, tasty and filling foods. There is even a saying: *he who eats well, works well*. Aukštaitija cuisine is known for its simplicity, it is the product itself which gives the dish its flavor, followed by various additional ingredients and seasonings.

Rye bread is one of the oldest and most fundamental food products in Aukštaitija, eaten every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Two kinds of bread are traditional - plain fermented and scalded. Plain fermented bread has been baked from earliest times, while scalded bread has only been baked since the beginning of the 20th century.

Potatoes are considered second bread and are eaten throughout the year. The most popular potato dishes are "zeppelins" (cepelinai), potato sausages (vedarai), potato pancakes.

Milk products have been popular since ancient times. The most popular is a so called "Lithuanian cheese", fresh or dried, that can be sour, sweet or flavored with caraway seeds.

The most widely used meat has always been pork - fresh, brined or smoked. A great variety of smoked sausages are very popular. Beef, veal, wild boar, venison, elk, hare and fowl meat are also popular.

The oldest traditional drinks are mead (produced using natural honey) and beer. Apple and berry wine is also worth degustation.